Reflections on the Boulevard by L.J. Ambrosio ~ Book Tour and Giveaway

Reflections on the Boulevard

They continued and arrived in Flagstaff, late at night. The motel looked just like the Bates Motel. Michael hurriedly got Ron into the room, which faced the Grand Canyon. Michael had reservations so they were able to get into the room quickly. Michael went outside, standing on the porch, feeling a significant pressure on his chest.

“The air is not meshing well with the smoke in my lungs,” Michael said to himself. When he got back to the room, Ron was already sleeping with Rhonda on his leg.

The next morning, Michael got up early and woke Ron telling him to wash his face. He then took Ron to the door of their room, opened it, and walked outside. Ron just gaped at the sight of the Grand Canyon. The colors and the sun bouncing off these jagged cliffs looked like cut out mountains from a magazine.

He turned to Michael, he said, “It looks like a painted drop! Not real. How was this created? What events led to this? I understand all the bullshit you learn in Earth Science, but this is so much more.”

Michael noticed a little tear in Ron’s eye, shed for the beauty, for the nature that Michael had always talked to him about.

“Those guys in New England, those Transcendentalists, they knew the answer, this is God. This is it! I know we will leave but I will never forget this, and the emotions it moves in me.”

“Alright I have a surprise. We are off to the North Rim of the Canyon. We are taking an entire day tour of the North Rim on the Katibah trail, exploring the inner canyons. We will travel on mules.”

“What did you say? Did I hear mules? I have never been on a horse, no less a mule. You expect me to ride a mule alone? No way!” said Ron.

They got into the car and Ron asked, “Where are we going?”

“To the North Rim!”

Ron was very worried. He listed all the reasons he

could never ride a mule. He even claimed that Rhonda would be jealous of his attention to another animal.

At the entrance to the North Rim, Michael assured Ron that he would be okay.

“Ron, all will be fine! Just trust the mule. Trust the mule!”

“I don’t trust myself!” Ron said, then suddenly got on the mule. He was afraid he would fall off, so he waited there for a moment. He used the opportunity to tell the mule about Rhonda. Ron started to like the mule now, especially because she was not moving. He was more comfortable now with the mule and even told her how well Rhonda would get along with her if she did not try to eat Rhonda’s food. The mules took off on the trail with

Michael following the guide and Ron following Michael, holding on for dear life.

On one particularly bumpy part of the trail, Michael assured Ron.

“You look great and natural on that mule! Like Gene Autry!” Ron was falling over now, off the mule. Ron had some choice language for Michael. After a minute he also asked, “Who is Gene Autry?”

“He was the cowboy who sang ‘Don’t Fence Me In’!”

A Reservoir Man

Reflections of Michael Trilogy Book 1

A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.”

Twists and turns further pull the reader in to Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity.

“Be sure not to blink because you just might miss a pivotal moment in Michael’s rousing, larger-than-life story.” –R.C. Gibson, Indiestoday.com.

“This book is a dream, a gamble, a utopia, even.” — Kalyan Panja, Bookmarkks.

Everywhere Michael turns he sees a Reservoir Man. Michael’s endless trials of survival include sexual assault, The Vietnam War, an arrest in Spain, Hollywood scandal, the AIDS outbreak, 9/11 and beyond.

If only Michael could find the one thing he values most, freedom. Michael’s coming-of-age is tarnished by many but the courage to live his truth may just keep Michael one step ahead…or will he succumb to the embraces of a Reservoir Man?

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Author’s Site * Bookbub * Goodreads

On New Year’s Day, the children went with Michael to brunch in Venice and walked on the boardwalk. For dinner, they ate at their favorite Chinese restaurant in West Hollywood. Arriving home, they noticed someone sitting on the porch. Michael quickly got out of the car and went over to the man. It was Joe, a young client of Michael’s.

Two years earlier, Michael brought Joe into the agency as a client; they had a very respectful relationship. Joe asked Michael if he had time to talk. Normally, Michael would have asked Joe if it could wait till the next day, but Michael saw the urgency in his tone. He told Joe to come in and to give him some time to put the children to bed.

Michael came back into the living room with a martini for himself and his guest. He finally broke down and had liquor in his house. Joe sat down and told Michael to listen before he commented. He told Michael that there was an action to take over the office, and his LA staff were aware of it, as well as the New York staff. Gail had also secured a replacement for Michael to run the LA office. The clients were not informed. She was waiting for the proper time after Michael left the office. Gail had secured all the bank statements and hired a lawyer.

Michael was shocked. “Who told you, Joe? Do you know a timetable for when she intends to do this?”

Joe said he was dating someone at the union who told him, and he was not aware of a time she was going to act on this. Joe seemed very pale; Michael became concerned about Joe’s health, asking him how his T-cell count was. Joe did not respond to much of anything.

“There is nothing you can do,” said Michael.

“Just be healthy. There are some experimental drugs. Stay away from AZT. That is AIDS by prescription.”

Joe finished his drink and got up to leave. Joe hugged Michael, and while he was holding on to Michael, he whispered in his ear, “I’m scared. What is going to happen?”

Michael replied, “You are going to live and have fun. Just be gay.” They both laughed. Before Joe left, he stopped in the doorway, turning to Michael.

“What’s wrong Joe?” asked Michael.

“I did not call. I wanted to.”

“Why didn’t you?” said Michael, staring at the young man, who was in a world of anxiety and apprehension.

“I was afraid they tapped your phone,” said Joe, and he left.